Playoff-bound Avalanche finds a way to win in Nashville, reaches 96 points with 10 games to go

Gabriel Landeskog of the Colorado Avalanche scores the game winning shoot out goal against goalie Pekka Rinne of the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on March 25, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Frederick Breedon, Getty Images)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Excellent game by Avalanche captain Gabe Landeskog, who sniped three goals, including the shootout winner. Cody McLeod and Nick Holden also used great shots to beat goalie Pekka Rinne. Our game story is here[1].

Ninety-six points for the Avalanche now. That’s playoff territory and 10 games still remain. This group could finish with a maximum 116 points. Remaining road games (six): Columbus, St. Louis, Edmonton, Vancouver, San Jose and Anaheim: Remaining home games (four): Vancouver, San Jose, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh.

#Avs[2] on pace to finish w/ second-most points franchise history. Cup team 2000-01: 118. This group could get to 116 and overtake '96-97 (107)

Here’s what Nashville coach Barry Trotz had to say after the game: “They’re a very good team. I thought we did a really good job locking it down. First period, I thought we did an excellent job doing everything we wanted to do offensively and defensively, and we gave up a late goal. We can’t give up those late goals; it’s been a little bit of a hindrance for us in the last little while here. Second period, I thought we responded after they got it tied up. They have lots of fighting power. I thought on the third and fourth goals today we didn’t make good plays. On the first one, we collapsed and our wingers have to be stronger on that puck. There’s a guy lying on the ground, there’s a puck there, you have to be real strong with two hands and get the puck out and away we go. But we were soft on that puck with our wingers collapsing, reaching back with one arm. All they had to do was scoop it and they chipped it over Pekka. On the fourth goal we carried it through the neutral zone. Instead of making a real firm play, we just sort of threw it in the middle and they came back and transitioned and threw a puck at the net there that got by Pekka. That’s just … we didn’t lock it down. We didn’t make strong plays when we had those leads. The guys you count on in those situations are a little bit young in those areas and going through that. But overall I think we played a really solid game.”